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Black Bear

Black Bear

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Ursus americanus

Family:

Ursidae (bears) in the order Carnivora

Description:

The black bear is one of the largest and heaviest wild mammal in Missouri. It has a long muzzle with a straight facial profile; rounded, erect ears; rather short, stout legs; and a very short tail practically concealed in the long, heavy fur. For black bears in Missouri, the fur is predominantly glossy black; the muzzle is brown, and there is usually a white patch on the chest. The sexes look much alike, though females are usually smaller than males.

Black bears live in heavily wooded areas. In winter they den in a hollow tree, cave, an excavated hollow in the ground or another shelter. In summer they sleep in trees or on the ground. Black bears used to be abundant in the state but had become rare by 1850 and were nearly eliminated by 1931. Reintroduction efforts in Arkansas have led to their reappearance in our state. Because a bear can become a danger when it learns to associate humans with food, it is important to keep them wild.

Foods:

Black bears eat a variety of foods. Plant matter includes grass, berries and other fruits, various seeds and nuts, the inner bark of trees and roots. Animal food includes ants, bees and their honey, crickets and grasshoppers, fish, frogs, small rodents, fawns, bird eggs and many kinds of carrion. Acorns are an important food source in the fall as bears prepare for winter.

Distribution in Missouri:

Most are south of the Missouri River, although some have been reported in a few northern counties. This is the only species of bear found in Missouri.

Status:

Rare and uncommon.

Life cycle:

Mating is in May or June but the development of eggs is arrested for 6 or 7 months. The eggs continue development about the time that bears enter hibernation, in October or November. Young are born in late January or February—sometimes while the mother is still asleep. A litter usually has 2 or 3 cubs. Winter inactivity usually extends into April, when bears leave their winter quarters and feed heavily. Cubs stay with the mother through the summer and usually den with her the next winter.

Human connections:

In the past, bear meat provided considerable food for Indians and white settlers, and bear fat was valuable for numerous uses. Bear fur was used for bedding, coats and rugs.

Ecosystem connections:

Bears feed on smaller animals and thus keep their populations in check; they also kill old, injured, sick animals unfit to survive. As scavengers, they eat carrion and therefore help clean the woods.

Related Information

Although black bears are native to Missouri, they were nearly wiped out during settlement. Now they're making a comeback. Use this section to follow our black bear research project, report bear sightings, camp safely in bear country, and control nuisance bears.

Excellent diggers, badgers are powerful predators of rodents in grasslands and other open areas. Identify them by their brawny build, impressive digging claws and the black and white pattern on their faces.

The common name of this animal, “fox” is the Anglo-Saxon name for this animal and refers to its crafty behavior. In the twenty-first century, hunters still respect and appreciate foxes for their ability to elude.

Regs and Areas

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